Germany joins the first E4 and R4 foreign ministers' meeting in Istanbul on freedom of navigation
23 October 2026
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul travelled to Istanbul on 23 October for a new meeting format. It brought the E4 - Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy - together with the R4 - Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The Federal Foreign Office said it was the first meeting in this format and had come about at the initiative of Germany and Turkey. The eight ministers discussed the US/Israel-Iran conflict, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a negotiated two-state solution, and the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and the Government of Yemen. Safety at sea was central: they noted the tension in the Straits of Hormuz and Bab El Mandeb and in the Black Sea. A joint press release said the ministers agreed to keep talking in this format to prevent conflicts in the region.
In plain words
E4 Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy — The E3 European powers plus Italy, as grouped for this meeting.
R4 Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia — The four regional powers that met the E4 in Istanbul.
Bab El Mandeb Bab-el-Mandeb Strait — The strait linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Freedom of navigation Freedom of navigation — The principle that ships of all states may sail the seas without interference.